Over White And Grey Kitchens? There's a New Neutral in Town

White and grey kitchens have dominated the scene for quite some time now. Sometimes we'll get lucky and see some blue or green, or even something more dramatic, like black. But for the most part it's neutrals, and for good reason. You don't update your kitchen that often, so you want it to last a long, long time before you redo. If you are looking for a new neutral, here's a fantastic alternative to the same old, same old.

Let's call it "sand" today, for lack of a better term (but feel free to throw out alternative suggestions in the comments). It's warmer than white or grey, but not quite beige or taupe, or even greige. Whatever you want to name it, the color brings a sense of calm. U.K. kitchen darlings deVOL have a version, which they call "mushroom" and can only get when you buy their cabinets. If you are looking for a similar color, check out Benjamin Moore's Wish.

Studio McGee designed this kitchen for a client who wanted a light and airy space that still felt unique. The marble countertop and white beveled subway tiled walls keep it bright, but the rug and brass hardware lean more golden. The cabinets bridge the two nicely.

And it's not just for Shaker style kitchens. Here's a flat front cabinet door with invisible pulls that reads more modern and minimalist, from Nordiska Kok. The warm sandy color keeps it from looking too austere and cold.

This kitchen belongs to Claes Dalén and Johan Pråmell, who had to blend disparate Scandinavian and glamorous styles when designing their Stockholm apartment. The kitchen, photographed for Residence Magazine, manages to straddle modern and traditional looks, with help from the neutral cabinet color. It's perhaps a touch darker than the other examples, but that might just be the lighting.